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April's Travels
Hi again.
We have now been in Belize for a week. We caught the bus to Chetumal the Mexican border crossing into Belize on the Saturday. In a slight pickle being that the exchange rate from Mexico to Belize is supposed to be poor we rocked up to the border with five pounds worth of Mexican money and the understanding that we might not be able to draw money out of an ATM unless we got to Belize City (so the guide book told us). Being that Belize city is half way down the country and not a nice place to go and we wanted to stay in the north we weren't too excited about the prospect. A couple of people told us we should be ok to get money out in major towns at a Belizean bank so we chanced it in the first town called Corozal. A German couple got off the bus with us and as the town seemed really quiet and a bit of a culture shock i attached myself to them. We went to the first bank and the cards got refused eek. Our luck was in though because we found a Belizean bank and got cash out, hooray. Challenge one down!!
We caught the next bus to Orange Walk with the couple as they said there was more there. Now let me tell you about the bus, an old yellow US school bus, you bounce along the road to reggae music, fantastic. We followed the couple, again, to the hotel they were booked in that was in the guide book but after checking out the new hotel next door which was much nicer and a slightly better price we checked in to the hotel de la fuente. Now the fun begins.
We went out for dinner that night to a chinese restaurant with the german couple (i'll give them names now, Doreta and Laurence). We had a really nice evening, very amusing, Becs and i shared a chicken fried rice and chicken curry, couple of beers lovely, we literally ate off the same plate. After being back at the hotel poor poor Becky got a bit of a poorly tummy, uh oh. The next day she had a... very VERY poorly tummy. We spent the day at the hotel and put off the tour we were due to go on. Day two and three were pretty similar the poor little tyke is led up in bed while i play nurse. Mean while i've sussed my way around the town. Orange Walk is cool, it's quaint, everyone is super friendly and it has all the main stores, sun is shining etc...
On the third day we went to a pathology lab which looked a bit like a wooden hut, Becs had a test, paid six pounds and in two hours had it confirmed that she had food poisoning. The NHS need take note!!! If you have a sensitive stomach you better not read on.
After getting lots of medication it didn't really work so we went to the docs the next day and he said that the food poisoning was caused by eating someone elses poo, yuk. Now somebody wasn't washing their hands when they prepared the food now were they. Strange that i didn't even have a grumble as we've pretty much eaten the same all along, or worryingly my stomach doesn't recognise it as a foreign body,....enough about that. We don't know that it was definitely the chinese but seeing as we cooked for ourselves at the end in Mexico i would hope it wasn't that. Moving on swiftly.
Lots of pills later and Becs is now thankfully on the mend. Yesterday the family from the hotel invited us to their posh home for lunch. It was great. They are so nice, we had a traditional Belizean meal which was caseroled chicken, dirty rice (rice with spice, beans and mushrooms) and the best tasting potato salad ever. They have two cute kids and were really good company. We compared notes on Belize and the UK. We had the la de da English impressions done for us!!
Today we went on the Lamanai tour that we originally had planned which was fab as well. We had a 90 minute boat ride along the river where we say crocs, lots of birds, iguanas and howler monkeys in the jungle. Then we arrived, had lunch and spent a good couple of hours walking around the archeological site. There were lots of ruins and jungle again. I climbed one which was pretty scarey. Although, there was an english family with us, the daughter who was really small and 9 yrs old flew up the ruin so i was not going to be defeated. Made it ever so slightly easier. There are lots of pics to go on.
Tonight we're off to the Lamanai restaurant next to the river for food. The first time i went there was at a lunch time when i saw a lizard that ran along on it's hind legs and last night i nearly tripped over a scorpion. The first one i've ever seen. Lets hope tonight's a painless trip.
Tomorrow we're off to the cayes, little islands off the coast where lots of backpackers go. Should be lots of sun and snorkelling, can't wait.
Lots of love to all, miss you lots.
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